


Five things to do before graduation

by whittyrabbit



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: AU-Mike went to Harvard, Alternate Universe - College/University, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 21:43:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1098911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whittyrabbit/pseuds/whittyrabbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five things to do before graduation</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five things to do before graduation

**Author's Note:**

> There might have been a few guest appearances or non-appearances from my other beloved fandoms.

**1. Visit your professors’ office hours or take them to a coffee.**

Mike was sitting in the corner coffee shop playing the latest angry bird star war edition. In front him, there was a half drunk espresso. Despite Mike's sweet tooth for deserts, he didn’t like lattes or Frappuccino. Mike solemnly believed that good coffee should be appreciated just as it is. 

When he tried the level for the fourth time, someone snatched his cup and finished it with one gulp. 

“How long have you been waiting? Sorry Stark is more annoying than usual.”

The man kissed Mike on the cheek, and sat down at the other side of the table.

“Well, genius playboy triumphs genius boyfriend, I see.”

“WELL, genius playboy pays for my awesome condo that you seem to like very much...”

Mike grinned and put away his phone, leaning over to give the man a proper kiss. “I miss you, Harvey.”

“Miss you, too. It’s great that you are finally done with school and moving back to Manhattan. I’m so done with this long distance crap. The great Harvey Specter is starting to get rumor about having this imagery friend...”

Mike chuckled and listened to Harvey keep gushing about how annoying and childish Stark could be. Something about if he doesn’t pay as much as he does, Harvey would be throwing him out of the window. Of cause, without his fantastic golden-red metal suit.

This somehow becomes their routine over the past three years. Harvey would come up to Cambridge on the weekends some time. They would meet in this coffee shop to drink Mike’s favorite espresso; chat about anything and everything, before heading to Mike’s apartment to have monkey sex.

Mike’s minds wondered off a bit while Harvey moved on to complain about Louis, the notorious nemesis in the office.

It’s a special place for him and Harvey not just because they had a special blend from Chile, but because this was where they had their first date.

  
_Three years ago_

It was almost three years ago. Harvey Specter, one junior partner from a prestigious law firm in New York came to Harvard for their semi-annual recruiting event. Upon the kind request of Dean of student, or in Harvey’s story upon Jessica’s threat with a month-worth pro bono cases. He was to give a guest lecture on corporate law in the real world. So, he bullshitted for about forty-five minutes before cornered by the entire L3 class, sucking up to him for a summer internship. Bored out of his mind, Harvey saw nothing but a truck load of clones with no minds of their own.

As he pushed his way out of the classroom, someone called out his BS. It was a kid with huge blue eyes and messy blond hair. The kid fact-checked him three different places, not impressed by his dazzling title. Harvey was amazed how much he knew about law itself. With a subtle tug with his hand, Harvey found himself holding a piece of paper with a number and a name. Oh, the damn kid, he even fucking winked at him after all these.

Afterwards, Harvey was hesitate to call him, well, Mike, because 1) it’d be unethical; not he cared much about it in the first place; 2) he looked like he was underage and Harvey didn’t need a pedophilia charge. But he was genuinely intrigued by this young man, in a way that he hadn't experienced in a long time.

So, this was how they ended up at Andala Cafe on a Tuesday afternoon. Mike with usual espresso and Harvey with an organic soy latte.

And then they lived happily ever after...no. That's Grimm's brothers.

"Soy latte? My usual. Lucky guess or...?"

"Donna."

"Ha. I see." Harvey twitched a little. Donna, you traitor.

"You are a hotshot corporate attorney from New York City who has seen probably everything. I don't think just a pretty face would grab your attention."

"Smartass. So, Michael, tell me what else is there before I decide take this soy latte to go."

This was how Harvey learned about Mike, being a total genius doubling JD and a Ph.D. in criminal psychology at the same time.

Half way through the delicious latte, asked Harvey. "What is your plan for the summer? The semester is almost finished."

"I don't know yet. I mean I'm from Brooklyn so probably just go back to New York and hang out with Trevor..."

"The drug dealer that you call BFF? I don't think so." Harvey picked up his blackberry and screwed down his inbox. "Fill this out and email it back to HR. You are spending your summer as free labor for me."

"Don't you think BDSM is a little too much for first date?" Mike grinned and Harvey just rolled his eyes. "But seriously, are you sure? I really like you but I actually want to work for this firm after graduation."

"You have to go the interview process with Louis since the summer internship program doesn't assign you to anyone in specific so I technically don’t have a say. But if that big brain of yours can't figure this out, I'm not taking you on a second date."

"So, there is a second?" Mike was beaming right now. "Ha, I know it!"

Then he stood up, grabbing Harvey's chin and kissed him.

It was short, chaste. But it was a good kiss.

Before Mike pulled back, Harvey grabbed him and kissed back. A lot messier. A lot more passion.

"Spend the summer in the city. It’s slow in the firm and I’ll be bored. Plus, Donna would love to play with a puppy.”

 

**2\. Report your post-graduation plans to Career advising office**

“Mike, do you have a few minutes? I need to talk to you about something.” Professor Sheppard for advance partnership taxation stopped the young man right after class.

"Hi Professor, what can I do for you today?"

Mike truly had no idea what's going on. It's his third year and nearly everyone knew he had a freak brain and got nothing but 100% on every exam.

"I heard that you haven't been participating in any recruiting events this year. You should know that only good grades would not make you a lawyer. Make yourself present at corporate social event would increase your exposure and to help tremendously in developing a career in corporate law. That's what you are interested in, correct?"

Mike laughed. So, it's about that. He dramatically led out a breath which seemed only pissed off the professor further.

"I have a standing offer with Pearson Hardman, Professor Sheppard. Harvey is taking me on as his personal associate as soon as I'm done here. And just for the record, when Pearson Hardman came here every time for recruiting, I always showed up for the food because that Louis guy knew every great venue in town!"

"Specter? The blonde cocky kid who did nothing but plays prank everywhere?"

Mike choked on his own spit. Harvey was not blonde. Shit, did he dye his hair the entire time? And also playing pranks?

"Well, Harvey's definitely not blonde right now if he was in the past."

"Yeah, dying his hair won't help anything. I had total of two kids named Specter. One is in Cali enjoy her beach house as far as I know and the other one was from New York. It must been him." The professor smiled a little. It seemed that even though Harvey might be trouble but he was still remembered fondly. "Pearson Hardman is a good firm. Big clients, cocky reputation, notorious all Harvard grads. You have to really tough up Mike if you want stay there."

“Yes Professor, I will definitely work on that. Thank you for the advice.”

“Oh, since you have a standing offer, don’t forget to notify the career office because they keep track of things like this.”

“Will do. Also, would you mind to remind your husband that he promised to show me his new lab tomorrow? He stood me up twice already.”

“Ah, you know how Rodney is. He forgets everything when he is working. Now he has this new lab, which is even worse. I will tell him tonight or you can just go there directly. The lab is at MIT, only 15 minutes from here.”

“Good point. Maybe I will do just that. You have a great day Professor Sheppard.”

After leaving the classroom, Mike pulled out his phone and sent Harvey a text.

_Someone didn’t tell me about being a blonde._

He got a reply almost instantly.

_Where does that come from? You have poor sense of fashion. Thus you are not allowed to judge._

_No big deal. Just ran into Professor Sheppard. He said something about a blonde Specter kid playing pranks everywhere._

_He couldn’t hold me accountable if he gave me F for a paper just because I didn’t agree with him about tax regulation._

_Do NOT change the topic. Ding Ding Ding. BLONDE HAIR._

_Yeah yeah. I am a natural blonde. And I DON’T have pictures._

At the same time, Mike got a picture text from Donna.

 _Image attached: blondie_.

It was Harvey with dirty blonde hair. He looked so much young, probably in his early twenties. The suit he was wearing didn’t look as sharp as the ones he owned now but still well-fitted. Oh, he was going to have fun with this.

_O Donna, I pray for thy wisdom and shall offer my service to thy desire._

_Puppy, leave the role play to your man. I only demand your first born._

_I don’t know if that’s better or worse…_

He forwarded the picture to Harvey, and couldn’t stop laughing.

It’s a good day.

 

**3\. Make the Dean’s List or/and graduate with distinction**

Mike always thought school was a joke, which made Harvey angry. He graduated fifth in his class not because he was a genius but because he studied his ass off for it.

Harvey was a street smart person, not book smart. Overall, he did ok with academia. But he had no intention of getting back there anytime soon, if at all.

Therefore, when he saw Mike’s photo hung in the admissions office as the top of his class, Harvey definitely felt complicated.

Damn kid beat me, again.

Of cause Harvey thought that in his loving, fondly manner. Because in his heart, he knew that Mike was smart. With that big heart, one day he would be even better than himself. Rookie already made his name in the firm while he interned there for two summers. All the partners knew about this young genius who could recite IRS codification backwards during lunch hour for fun just because he could.

The best of all, he’s all Harvey’s. As Harvey became senior partner, the first associate was kept empty for Mike to graduate.

So when Harvey received an email in the middle of the day with the subject titled “Fwd: Confirmation for Graduation Ceremony: Class of 2012”, he just pulled up his calendar to clear out all other crap that was booked for that weekend.

As he read the email, he dug out his cell to call Mike to clarify a few things.

“Hey. I got your email.”

“Oh, someone is slacking at work I see.”

“Good morning to you too.”

“Snappy. Yikes. So, you will come, yes?”

“Of cause princess, I will go. Wouldn’t want to miss the big day, right?”

“Haha very funny. Also, there is something I meant to ask you…you know about the faculty escort right?”

“Since when does J.D. need a faculty escort?”

“Stop being an ass. For my psych one.”

“See, I do have a great sense of humor. What would you put on your card? Dr. and Dr. Ross?

“Oh, here I thought I have a standing offer with a prestigious law firm and my card would only say ‘Associate’. Well, maybe I should reconsider, Doctor Ross sounds pretty awesome...”

“Alright, I don’t have all day kid. What is it about faculty escort?”

“You are no fun, Harvey. My advisor from psych will be in Lithuania for criminal psychology conference that week. But personally I think that’s just an excuse so that Doctor Lector could show his new boyfriend his hometown. Oh my god, do you know how many dogs his boyfriend has? I’ve never seen so many cute puppies in my life... But anyway, I talked to the department and they said it’d be ok if I invited someone else…”

“You sure you want me up there?”

“Who said it’s you? Maybe I was thinking about Donna. She’s so hot and everyone would be jealous! Yeah, it means a lot to me if you could do that. I mean, if you want to…It’s just that you have done so much for me over the years and I don’t know where I’d end up without you. It’s just great opportunity that I could show some appreciation. I know it’s not traditionally done to have your future boss slash boyfriend…”

“Mike, breathe. Nothing we do is traditional. So, yes, I’d be honored to escort you at your gradation.”

“Awesome! I love you so much! I let Doctor Lector know today!”

“Yes, rookie. Love you, too. Anything else?”

“Nope. Bye Harvey.”

“Ok. Bye Mike.”

Harvey hang up and couldn’t help but smile. His lover was so young and passionate. He couldn’t wait when Mike moved back to the city.

“Do you have any idea how horrified the phone call was only hearing your side of the conversation?”

“Donna, there is a thing called private conversation that you might never heard of.”

“Blah blah blah. But seriously, I am happy for you.”

Harvey looked up through his door at Donna’s cubicle.

“Yes, I’m very happy. Thank you.”

 

Half year later, there was a nicely framed picture in their living room with Mike in his cap and gown and Harvey in his finest suit.

 

**4\. Make a statement.**

Harvey summoned Mike in the middle of the week from school to help him proof about fifty boxes of briefs because his associates were utterly useless and the deal had to be closed the next Monday. So, here he was, sitting on the floor in Harvey’s living room surrounded by piles and piles of paperwork.

He heard the door unlocked and saw Harvey walked in carrying a large pizza box. “Puppy, food is here. Let’s take a break.”

Mike was only too happy to do that. Taking over the box, he planted a sloppy kiss on Harvey’s cheek. They didn’t even bother with plates, just eating by the box because both of them ate nothing but a hot dog since lunch.

Swallowing down another bite, Harvey mumbled, “Thanks a lot for doing this, Mike. I know it’s hard to just drop everything and come here but I could really use your help with this case.”

“You know I’m not free labor right? Just because I’m your boyfriend and a genius, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have to pay me!”

“Oh God, do you realize how wrong it sounds?” Harvey wiped crumbs off from Mike’s mouth.

The young man laughed. Of cause he knew. Harvey was a little tense because of the time pressure on this case. It’s his boyfriendly duty to lighten the mood.

“The non-disclosure is signed. You better have a check by Monday.”

“How about I just pay you with sex? I’ve been told I’m really good, you know.”

Harvey finished up his last bite and pulled Mike into his embrace, wriggling his eyebrows.

“Now, this is considered appropriate?”

Harvey rested his chin on Mike’s shoulder and signed. “If you are working for me, this would never happen. 50 boxes of paperwork in four days? All hands on desk wouldn’t even cut it.”

“Are you declaring your undying love for me?”

“I’m merely stating a fact. And complementing your intelligence.”

“Harvey, if I say I couldn’t wait to spend every single day like this, would you believe it?”

“Working till midnight and eating greasy pizza?”

“No. Working for you, with you and go home to you and spending every waking and sleeping moment with you.”

“I don’t think stalker is flattering either.”

Mike pushed out of the older man’s hug. Before Harvey opened his mouth to say he was obviously kidding, Mike took out a simple platinum band and went down on one knee.

“Harvey Reginald Specter, would you do me the honor of marrying me? I know I’m not the best catch, not the hottest person you know. But I love you with all my heart. I treasure every single moment that we spend together. You have so many options but you choose me and you make want to be a better person. Grammy always tells me to go with my gut with important things. Here I am, going with my gut and following my heart. So when I said I want to spend every day with you, working with you, going home to you, I was not kidding. I want to share my life with you, cherish all the happiness and sadness with the man I love. So, Harvey, would you marry me?”

There was silence.

And more silence.

Mike started to sweat. Maybe he shouldn’t go with his gut. Maybe they weren’t ready yet. Maybe Harvey was not the marrying type. In the past two years that they had been dating, the conversation about marriage never came up.  Maybe he had messed up the one good thing he had in his life.

“Harvey, it’s ok to say no. I am a big boy.”

That’s the moment Harvey said nothing but stuck out his left hand. Mike blanked out for a second and soon realized what it meant, rushing it to put the ring on Harvey’s finger.

Suddenly, he was pulled into a brutal kiss. Harvey was kissing him with everything he had.

“Yes, Mike. I’ll marry you. I want to spend my life with you. I want to share everything with you. In fact, if you wait a little longer, you would find out that I have a ring for you too, which is sitting in the bedroom drawer right now.” Harvey held Mike like he was the only person in the world that mattered. “I wasn’t debating to say yes or no. There was only yes to you, kid. It’s just...I never thought about anyone proposing to me, you know? I thought if I were ever willing to go that far, it’d be me ordering fancy dinner, buying roses, a ring, and all that jazz.”

“So, do you want to get the ring and have a do-over?”

“Now who is the smartass, huh?”

Mike smiled and kissed his man one more time. “You know, I never understand why people get married when they are like 22. Why would you tie yourself up when you are in school? Life is full of surprises and you never know what would happen. But now, I couldn’t think of anything better than having you in my life…ahhh!”

Harvey picked Mike up, carrying him bridal style and walking towards the bedroom. “Now, I need to you stop saying sweet things and start to moan my name. Ready for engaged sex?”

“ _Yes, Harvey…_ ”

 

The next morning, Mike woke up in Harvey’s arm and found a shiny ring on his finger.

“So, that’s the one you were talking about.”

Mike said after he got his good morning kiss.

“Yeah. If you think it’s too shiny, we can always get another one.”

“Hey, I like it. It’s very you. Just like the one you are wearing right now, it’s very me. It will remind me of you whenever I look at it. It’s like having part of you with me all the time.”

“Just how many poems and romantic stories have you read?”

“I am speaking with my heart and you love me for it, so stop pretending.”

“Alright, puppy. You wanna tell me what’s the checklist thing you failed at hiding? You know that when it says ‘make a statement’ it means you should donate money not propose to your boyfriend?”

“What…...I know that! This had nothing to do with it. Well, maybe a little. When I saw the checklist thing, I just thought want what I’ve done. And it all the sudden it came to me that I need to let you know how I feel before some bimbo swoop in and snatch you up.”

“I don’t do bimbos. I need at least high-end escorts.”

“Yes I agree. But I’d hate to see my fiancé wasting money on that when you have a hot young lover available.”

Harvey just laughed. A few years ago, he never thought he’d be engaged to someone and to be so in love with a person. But life had changed for the better and he decided to fully enjoy what he had.

 

**5\. Explore the campus and the city!**

“I can’t believe you’ve never been to a game, growing up in New York. That’s just unacceptable! How do you even do that?”

Harvey seemed to really take that into heart while they were in commercial break on Saturday afternoon.

Mike shrugged, “we didn’t have much money when I was little and Grammy is too old for to stay in the stadium for hours.”

Oh, Mike. Harvey pulled him into a hug. He would just need to come up with the best graduation gift then. “Well, we will just need to fix that.”

Then, the next weekend, the couple was all bucked up and sitting right behind the first base in a Red Sox game, who was playing at home against Yankee.

“Dude, even though the seat is really awesome, I still fear for my life because look at all these Red Sox fans!”

Mike was very excited to finally see a game in person, wearing a Yankee cap.

Harvey just laughed. “Don’t call me dude. And just watch out for the balls. If you can catch one, I’ll even let Mo sign it for you.”

“Wait, you know Mo? Like personally?”

“Yep. We knew each other when we were younger. Play together all the time before my shoulder got injured. Then I became his lawyer, help with all the contracts and stuff. Jessica loves it. Great PR for the firm.”

“...wow…”

“Glad to see I can still surprise you.” Harvey only looked very smug.

 

After making an official barbecue gathering back in New York with Mo, Mike was still in shock as Harvey dragged them to Meritage, one of the well-known seafood places at Waterfront.

“Wake up puppy, or I’ll have to think you are having a crush on Mo which would make me very sad.”

“No, no crush. Just interested in his balls. Ugh, that didn’t come out right. I’m only interested in your balls. You have lots of balls in your office…”

The waiter came to refill their wine paled hearing “Mo” and “interested in his balls” in the same sentence.

“Wait, this is the restaurant I show you on the magazine last week! And we can even see the water! Awesome!”

“Thank you for noticing, Mike.”

“Come on, I heard they use all fresh fish and stuff, let’s order! I’m so hungry.”

“Where did hotdogs go?”

“Uh, that’s like three hours ago. I have a very health metabolism, didn’t you know that?”

 

Afterwards, Mike was happily fed and little buzzed from a bottle of red wine they shared. Harvey was dragging him somewhere again. He didn’t pay much attention because today had been great so far.

They stopped at a place called Scullers. Walking in, Mike dared to say it was a lounge of some sort. The décor wasn’t typical Harvey all steel and glass windows, but more cozy and classy. Settling down with another round of drinks, both of them got interrupted constantly with people kept on stopping by their table to say hi to Harvey and he just introduced Mike to everyone.

“Why are we here and how do you know everyone here?”

Mike asked out of curiosity.

“You said you’d like to know my father better if you had the chance, because he sounded like a cool guy. Well, Dad used to play here whenever he was in town. So, the older ones have all played with him and young people just loved his music.”

Mike was not expecting to hear that. Harvey didn’t just randomly share something this intimate. It was a little out of character for him to be like this, but Mike loved it. It felt like Mike was finally allowed into his deepest secrets, the most value things that he kept dearest to his heart.

The young man stood up and kissed Harvey, “Thank you. For sharing your life.”

Harvey just smiled. Guess it did feel good to make someone you love happy.

“That’s last thing on your check list right? Explore the city? I’m adding my touch to it so it’d be special for both of us.”

“Who knows you were such a sap? So sentimental.”

“Shush, have a reputation to mention and all that.”

“Well, what would people at the firm say about your ring? And my ring once they see it?”

“Well, we pretty much broke every single fraternization rule ever existed. I don’t think at this point I give a shit. Plus, everyone at the firm already knows you are pretty and smart. I’m not passing an opportunity to show off what is mine.”

Mike couldn’t deny he loved the possessiveness.

“So, is this our last stop? Can we go back to have celebratory sex afterwards?”

“Actually…”

 

“How the fuck you have a key to the Crimson’s president office? 

Harvey pushed the young man into the dark office and bended him across the beautiful wooden desk in the middle of the room. 

“I had the key back in the days because this was my office for two years. If they didn’t bother change the key for ten years, that’s not my problem.”

“Well then, what do you think about my article for next week, Harvey? Any suggestions that I should further edit?”

“Oh, role play, puppy, we are gonna be here all night because of that.”

 

A week later, the Crimson posted Mike’s story as he was a regular contributor in school. Of cause he kept the details vague and the other party involved was nameless. There was something that everyone seemed to resonate:

“It’s the season of celebration. We cheer with our loved one for a beautiful ending to our education, and a brand new beginning to another page of our life. Moving forward is always terrifying because of the unknown. But I believe with love and faith, we will do just fine.”

Fin.


End file.
